Doctor Foster season 3 finally confirmed by the BBC as returning cast and plot unveiled
Suranne Jones is returning for one final run of the hit BBC drama - nine years after the second season aired.
A full nine years after the second season of Mike Barlett's BBC drama Doctor Foster aired, the BBC has finally confirmed that the hit drama is returning for a third and final run.
The new five-part season will see Suranne Jones reprise her title role as Gemma Foster, while Bertie Carvel and Tom Taylor will be returning as Simon and Tom respectively. The new season is set to start filming this spring in and around Hertfordshire.
The synopsis for the new episodes says: "Ten years ago, on discovering her husband Simon was having an affair, Gemma Foster enacted a masterful revenge. But the fallout was devastating when her 15-year-old son Tom disappeared. Now, in series 3, Gemma is still a GP, still in the same house, but on the brink of a fresh start: she has met someone new and is getting married.
"But as the wedding day draws closer, and friends and family gather, shadows from the past begin to re-emerge threatening both her happiness and her reputation. As Gemma fights to protect those she loves and expose whoever’s intent on hurting her, will she be able to put the past to bed, dispense justice, and claim the future she deserves, before it is too late?"
On returning to Doctor Foster, Jones said in a statement: "When I got the call to ask if I wanted to return as Gemma Foster, I knew the time was right. We needed space from the first two series, and we needed Tom – Gemma and Simon’s runaway son – to return as an adult with questions.
"For me, this time around it’s about accountability and questioning – can we ever truly sever ties with our past and the damage or traumas that haunt us, so we can fully move forward? Gemma and Simon have so much to unpick!
"It’s been an exciting time working with the brilliant Mike Bartlett again, and the team at Drama Republic on the scripts and now I can’t wait to start filming."
Meanwhile, Bartlett added: "I always hoped that we’d get to tell the final part of Gemma’s story - which is about a woman seeking justice in an unfair world. That feels as relevant now as when Gemma first found a blonde hair on the scarf.
"It’s been a joy to team up once again with the hugely talented [production company] Drama Republic, the now very grown-up and brilliant Tom Taylor, the inimitable Bertie Carvel and of course, the incomparable Suranne Jones, to tell the final chapter of this story and revisit Parminster - where it turns out there’s still secrets, betrayals, vengeance and perhaps one last dinner party…"
While fans have been waiting a very long time for the return of Doctor Foster, they get to return to the world of the show briefly back in 2020, when spin-off series Life, which saw Victoria Hamilton and Adam James reprise their roles from the original show, aired on BBC One.
It was first reported that Doctor Foster could be returning back in November of last year, but today marks the first time the news has been officially confirmed.
Doctor Foster season 3 will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Seasons 1-2 are available to stream on iPlayer now.
Add Doctor Foster to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
